Chapter 129 - The Nasty Rumors

"Hi, Fae .. how was your vacation?" Suzette asked when she approached Fae on the campus that day. "Oh, you make me want to get married. I'm so jealous!"

Fae just blushed at what her classmate said. "It was a very pleasant vacation. My husband managed to get away from his busy work for a while."

"Ahh .. so adorable. I want to know what your husband is like. Why did you never introduce him to us?" Miriam joined in the question.

Fae could only shake her head. "Sorry, he's busy. He can't socialize."

"Why? You can show us the picture, then," said Suzette. "Come on, we promise we won't try to steal him from you if you show us."

The girls laughed heartily.

"That's right. If you don't tell us which one is your husband, who knows, maybe Suzette and I will meet him and fall in love. That could be a problem," Miriam added.

Fae just laughed at their persistence. She knew Ren couldn't fall in love. "I'm sorry... I can't do it."

"Duh .. how mysterious," said Miriam again. She and Suzette looked at each other.

"What are you girls talking about?" asked Carla, who approached them. The three girls looked up and greeted Carla, one of the students in their class who was quite popular as one of the campus belles.

"Fae just came back from a nice vacation with her husband. We wonder what her husband's face looks like because she never wants to show it," said Suzette.

"Oh .. are you married, Fae?" Carla asked with a pleased expression. Fae was the most beautiful girl on campus and many male students adored her. However, if Fee already had a husband, of course, the men would have to step back. This was what made Carla happy.

Fae nodded. "Sorry, but my husband doesn't like crowds. And he's a very private person. I can't show him to other people."

Suzette and Miriam, whom Fae talked to more often, actually suspected that Fae was married to an ugly or old person. A rich man who could afford a beauty for a wife with his wealth.

The thought, because she was ashamed of her husband, Fee never showed the man openly. However, they kept this conjecture to themselves and never pressed Fee to admit it.

"You know, Fae... I actually heard some rumors spread by Cindy, Hendrik Milne's girlfriend. They accuse you of being a mistress of an influential man. She kept telling everyone that you are the mastermind behind the attack, "said Carla. "But if you're actually married and not someone's mistress, then that's a different story. You'd better just bring your husband to campus to pick you up and get rid of all the gossip."

Fae just rolled her eyes. She had heard so many gossips spread about her from Suzzete some time ago. She was accused of being an old man's sugar baby to being the mastermind behind Hendrik Milne's attack, but she didn't care.

Why were those cheap rumors still circulating?

"I'm not anyone's mistress. My husband is a good person, and I don't have to prove anything to anyone," said the girl, packing up her books and leaving the classroom. "I don't have time to listen to gossip. I have to work."

Fae left them with a chest filled with anger. She didn't want to linger there and listen to gossip that would only hurt her feelings.

No matter what, she couldn't refute such malicious gossip because she didn't want to get Ren involved. That's why she tried to harden her heart and didn't pay attention to what other people said. If she got emotional and Ren's name came out, her husband's reputation would be damaged.

She still had to be patient. She still had four years to go...

"Fae, we didn't mean to gossip about you. It was just the rumors circulating outside. We want you to know what people were talking about you, so you would be able to protect yourself," said Suzette hastily. "We don't believe in those cheesy gossips."

Fae wiped her wet eyes as she walked briskly to the park across the campus. John was waiting for her there to take her to the Magnolia Café.

This was her first day at Magnolia Café as the new owner. Ren had called Stevan and told him that his wife was coming over and asked Stevan to help Fae set things up.

Fae had studied all of the books from Magnolia Café and felt that she needed to adopt some policies to increase sales. She wanted to prove to Ren that she could manage a small company like Magnolia Café.

"Good afternoon, Fae. You're early today," said Ella, who saw her enter through the front door. 

"Ah, yes .. I have something to do," said Fae. She looked at her former colleague with a smile on her face.

Ah, Ella didn't know that Fae would come as the cafe owner today.

"Fae, good thing that you come early. Do you know the cafe owner's wife is going to pay us a visit? She wants to start working in this cafe," said Ella in a hushed voice. "I just found out from Stevan. Apparently, Magnolia Cafe has been bought since last April, meaning it's been seven months, but we're only being told now. The former owner was still pretending to run this cafe through Stevan. I don't know why. But two weeks ago, he suddenly told us that the Magnolia Cafe had actually been sold for a long time. And now the new owner's wife wants and do things in our place. Geez ... I hope she is not annoying. Usually, the wives of rich people are arrogant and bothersome... "

"Eh ...?" Fae looked at Elle in amazement. "Do you think so?"

She frowned. Fae thought Ren just bought Magnolia Café as a gift for their wedding anniversary. She did not know the cafe had been bought for so much longer.

April ... wasn't that the time when Fae just started working at this Magnolia Café?

Did Ren buy it when Fae decided to work here?

Ahh ... now it all made sense.

Fae finally understood why she got the job so easily and why she always got the shifts she wanted. Come to think of it, Fee was able to get so much flexibility that other people didn't usually get.

"I have to make a call first .." Fae excused herself to Ella, then walked out of the cafe to call Ren.

RING

RING

"What's the matter, Fae?" After three rings, Fae's call was picked up and to her surprise, on the other end of the line was a female voice.

"Amelia?" asked Fae in puzzlement. "Why did you pick up my husband's phone?"

"Ren is busy. You can talk to me," said Amelia in an unfriendly voice.

In the background, Fee could hear people eating lunch. 

Was Ren attending a banquet with state guests?

"Nothing important. I don't want to talk to you," she retorted.

"Good. Don't bother Ren. He's busy." Amelia then hung up the phone.

Fae was furious, but she couldn't do anything about it. She knew Amelia was Ren's secretary. So, it was only natural that she kept Ren's cell phone when the man was busy, but Fee really didn't like Amelia.

Oh .... she couldn't wait for four years to be over when Ren finally step down from his position and also left Amelia.